From the quarry to the client: a tale told in alphanumeric code

The process of extraction of 20 ton blocks from a quarry is no easy endeavor. It is made easier with our cutting edge technology. However, one of our biggest assets in this process while guaranteeing a rock solid quality control is a rather old technology: numbers and letters. That's right. We use an alphanumeric code to map the journey of the stone from the layer in the quarry all the way to the client.

This coded tale begins with the identification of the layer, its angle in the quarry and the natural stone variations. After the block is extracted, it is literally spray painted with the date in which it was sawed and a couple trade secrets we can’t disclose here.

Upon entering the mill, the blocks are sawed into rough slabs and yet another code can be introduced, continuing the chain of rigorous quality control, allowing us to know from which block each slab was cut from.

Nearing the final steps of the production line, MVC’s factory is able to print one last code to identify the piece, with reference to its size and, if requested and/or in more complex projects, the place it will fit in the building process.

In the end, the tale of the stone, which sometimes can take years from the quarry to the final destination, is told through numbers and letters. We at MVC - Portuguese Limestones are proud of our quality control and the stories we tell about our precious raw material.